Like me, you may be watching the events unfold in Minneapolis, in Seattle, in our own communities, and in other cities around the country sparked by the senseless lynching of George Floyd by a police officer, as well as the deaths of other Black men and women in recent months. As a Black woman who experienced the sting of the segregated South in the 1950s and 1960s, it is gut wrenching and disheartening to be reminded in so many ways that violence and racism against Black Americans has been so deeply woven into the fabric of this nation.
In the wake of this incident and too many others like it, we have an opportunity to reaffirm what we as a College stand for and against. At Shoreline, our Community Standard states clearly that we do not tolerate hateful, violent, or discriminatory actions that target any person or group based on their beliefs, customs, identities, or affiliations.
As Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, so aptly said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” As a College, we are committed to upholding and maintaining a supportive and respectful learning environment for everyone. We must condemn this kind of violence and call for our nation to do better.
Jeff Kashiwa, Music professor, recently shared, “We may be at a distance, yet we are not disconnected.” These are times when we need each other more than ever. If you are in need of any extra emotional support in this tumultuous time, please know we offer resources to all students through the Counseling Center.
Shoreline has a strong legacy of serving the educational, workforce and cultural needs of our diverse students and communities. Thank you for reaffirming these values each day by remaining steadfast to creating a welcoming and inclusive campus for all.
Respectfully,
Cheryl Roberts, Ed.D.
President
